Date: Thu, 17 Jul 2014 15:43:32 +0200
Is Libya heading towards civil war?
Fighting between rival militias around Tripoli airport pushes Libya closer
to civil war.
By Imed LAMLOUM - TRIPOLI
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First Published: 2014-07-17
Libya's government said on Tuesday it was considering calling for
international forces to help restore security, as fighting between rival
militias around Tripoli airport pushed the country closer to civil war.
With liberal and Islamist militias locked in a brutal power struggle, the
country's main international airport, which was shut down on Sunday for
security reasons, came under renewed attack late Monday.
Shortly afterwards the government said it was "looking into the possibility
of making an appeal for international forces on the ground to re-establish
security and help the government impose its authority".
The statement from a spokesman added that the forces would help protect
civilians, prevent anarchy and allow the government to build up the army and
police.
NATO warplanes helped topple dictator Moamer Gathafi in 2011, sparking a
power struggle between rival armed groups that has wracked the country ever
since.
Speaking in Vienna, US Secretary of State John Kerry said Washington was
"deeply concerned" about the growing levels of unrest in the North African
nation, and was "working very hard to find political cohesion".
"Every single day in the State Department we make assessments about the
level of violence, about our personnel who are there, about our embassy."
- Civil disobedience -
Clashes first broke out at Tripoli airport on Sunday when the Zintan militia
which controls it was attacked by rival Islamist fighters.
In a fresh attack launched late Monday, dozens of rockets -- including one
that hit a plane -- were fired, killing a security guard and wounding six
others, officials said.
At least 10 aircraft of Libya's main carriers Afriqiyah Airways and Libyan
Airlines have been damaged, while the airport's closure has severed Libya's
air links with the outside world.
On Monday the airport in the country's third city Misrata was also forced to
shut down because it is linked to the control tower in Tripoli.
But late Tuesday Libyan authorities announced that flights have resumed at
Misrata and also at the Miitiga military airport in the suburbs of Tripoli,
which would allow Libyans stranded in airports around the world to get back
home.
Earlier Tuesday, angry Libyans blocked several roads around Tripoli and
burned tyres, in response to calls for civil disobedience in protest at the
airport attacks, witnesses said. Some banks and shops also remained closed.
Analysts say the latest clashes are tied to the preliminary results of a
June 25 general election to replace the Islamist-dominated parliament, which
has been mired in controversy and accused of hogging power.
Commentators say liberals will fill most seats in the new parliament,
following the election which has been dogged by allegations of fraud, some
of which have been accepted by the electoral commission.
Libyan analyst Mohamed Eljarh said the Islamists were seeking to seize
control of strategic sites in the capital.
"The Islamists are determined to maintain their position as a key player on
the political scene, following their defeat in the recent elections and the
rising threat from Haftar's military operation against the Islamists in
eastern Libya," he said.
Renegade former general Khalifa Haftar launched an offensive against
Islamist militias in Libya's second city Benghazi in May. The disciplined
Zintan militia has sided with well-armed forces loyal to him.
- Fears of civil war -
Parts of eastern Libya, particularly Benghazi and the hill town of Derna,
have become jihadist strongholds, and renewed clashes in Benghazi on Monday
between troops and Islamist militia killed at least seven people and wounded
49, medics said.
Libya has been awash with weapons since the uprising three years ago that
toppled and killed Gathafi, and successive interim governments have
struggled to establish a strong army and police force, giving former rebel
groups a free hand to act.
Othman Ben Sassi, a former member of the political wing of the 2011
uprising, warned of the dangers facing Libya if its government fails to
contain the spiralling unrest.
"They must swiftly put an end to this conflict, otherwise the country is
heading for civil war."
France said it had "taken note" of the Libyan government's call for help
from international forces, adding that it was primarily the responsibility
of the United Nations to examine the proposal.
Tripoli's announcement came, ironically, as the United Nations said it was
evacuating its remaining staff from Libya because of the deteriorating
security.
Witnesses said a UN convoy left Tripoli by road on Sunday headed for the
Tunisian border.
Despite the unrest, oil exports from the OPEC country have risen since the
start of the month, when the authorities regained control of two terminals
blockaded by rebels demanding autonomy for eastern Libya.
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